Valve-stem lock for automobile casings



J. BERG VALVE STEM LOCK FOR AUTOMOBILE CASINGS Filed Sept. 20, 1924 EIiEbEUMUIBF,

Sept. 22, 1925.

s m mmummmmmmmw This invention is a tire lock and has for Patented Sept. 22, 1925.

* UNITED STATES Jo-sErH BERG, or LITTLE noon, ARKANSAS.

VALVE-STEM LOCK FORAUTOMOBILE cAsrives.

Application filed September 20, 1924. Serial- No, 738,823.

To all whom it may concern. 1

Be it known that I, JosnPH BERG, of Little 'Rock, in the county of Pulaski and State of Arkansas, a citizen of the United States,

have invented certain new and useful I1n provements in Valve-Stem Looks for Auto mobile Casings, of which the following is a specificationits object the provision of a simple and inexpensive device which maybe easily fitted about the stem of an inflation valve and locked to the felly through which the stem passes, to prevent access to the stem for deflating the tire by. unauthorized persons.

Another object is to providemeans wherei by the lock will be guarded against; the chokllilig effect of mud or accumulated dust, and

e orts to use a wrench for removing the lock will be fruitless. j

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing and will be hereinafter fully described, the novel featuresbeing par-1 ticularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing, Fig. 1 is a view, partly in elevation and partly in section, of the lock applied.

Fig, 2 is an elevation of the lock removed and viewed at a right angle to Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 5, t

Fig. 5 is a bottom plan View of the lock, Fig. 6 is a top plan View of the washer or keeper plate with which the bolt of the lock engages.

The reference numeral 1 indicates a portion of the inner tube of a pneumatic tire, 2 a portion of the tire-supporting rim, 3 the wheel felly, and 4 the threaded stem of an inflation valve which is secured in the inner tube and passes through the rim and the felly in the usualmanner.

In carrying out my invention, I secure upon the innen circumference of the felly a washer or keeper plate 5 which is provided with a central opening 6 for the passage of the valve stem 4 and also with an annular series of openings 7 arranged concentric with the opening 6 and the lower ends of which are closed by the felly when the device is applied, as shown in Fig. 1. The washer or keeper plate may be secured upon the felly in various ways, and I have illustrated wings 8 integral with the washer Fig. 4 1s a section on the line 44 of and depending from diametrically opposite points thereof to fit against the sides of the felly, screws 9 being inserted the wings into the felly.

The lockgcomprises a body 10 having a central borelllanda central elongated reh ou duced projecting portionil2 which is closed at its outer end whereby the bodymay be fitted over the valve stem, as shown most clearly in Figure 3, to complete'lyhouse the same and constitute a dust cap therefor. The lower end of the body 10 rests upon thewasher .5 in contact with. the inner face of the latter throughout the-areathereof so that the openings 7 inthe wa'sherare completely covered In the side of thebody is a recess 13, preferably of circular. outline as shown in Fig. 4, and immediately adjacent said recess is a guide passage or socket 14 in which the bolt 15 is slidably mounted, a

spring '16 being housed in said socket be- 4 tween the inner end of the same and the top' of the bolt and tending constantly, to project the bolt through the openlower end of the socket to engage one of the openings 7 in the washer or keeperJ, A notch 17 is formed in the side of the boltand is engaged by the free end of a lever 'or-throw-arm. 18- which is pivoted at one end in the recess 13 and extends through the same to enter the socket 14, as shown clearly in Fig. 4. The recess 13 opens through the side of the body and a cap 19 is provided to close the same after the lever has been mounted therein, the cap, of course, having a keyhole slot 20 therein to admit an operating key'21. Preferable, a back plate 22 is. fitted in the recess and the lever is pivoted upon this back platewhich also carries a centering pin 23 to receive and support the inner end of the key. As shown in Figs. -1 and 6, the washer or keeper is provided with an annular flange or rim 24 to fit around the lower end of the body 10, and a guard ring 25 encircles the body between said rim and an annular shoulder 26 on the body. guard ring is snug but slidable on the "body so that it may be shifted circumferentially to cover the keyhole slot 20, or to bring the.

The i notch 27 in the guard into alinement therewith, the circumferential movementof the guard being limited by a stud 28 on the body engaging the end walls of a slot 29 formed in and extending circumferentially of theguard. a

The use of the device will, it is thought,

be readily uhde'r'st'ood, The bo're ofi'the loel'z body is preferably threa dedso that it my be engaged Withthe stem 4 in such at manner that it cannot be lifted therefrom. Y -When the body is turned home on the stem against the keeper, the end ofthe b'oltivill enter one of the sockets or openings 7 therein, as shown in Fig. 1, and reverse'rotttio'n cahnot be. then imparted to the body until the bolt is'retrz'ited by thei se of thefkey which, of oourse, is in the possession of the o wne'r' 'or person in ohei ge of the car. 'After'the' body is turned home and is lo ckedto the fell y,

the "g'h ard is shifted" so thtt it 'Will Cover the keyhole $10520 zthd threbyprotect the seine froinlhud zt'snfell as conceal its location. Should a, \yienoh"o rbthr toolbe applied to tli'e guitrd in an effort to turn the look from r the telly; the'pin assumes will 'be-sna;ppea

on aifd the uard will then "thrn loosely ar'otihd "the body Without imparting shy sieve-1 mm thereto. nr wi i e' rea ly iioted theft 'Ihaye provided marsimple and domto the Wheels of 'tu'toihobi'les to p'revemtheir theft. The devise is 'not loolredto the ytt'lxfe steih'so that it ma be applied to'aiiy 'alye ste n Without re uiring any henge therein 21nd it may be applied to any known iiffztk'e or a'utoin'obi'le Wheel inie'rely providing *& kee'p je'r'plete ofth'e proper si'z-e. The device is sn'iail and: neat, Will 'ac ld to r'zttlier than d'etrt'et from theeppearanoei'of the Wheel, and the d'ust ca cannot be t isted 0E. I

Havii'i gfthds 'uly'de'so'ribed my invention,

What I 'clz'tiin as" new 5nd desire to secure by letters Parent of the-United States is :5-

signature;

1. The dornbint'tion "with e gfn "and a the valve stem passing thr'ough thefelly, of a keeper secured on the felly, a body enclosing theistein and resting on the keeper, a look set in the side of the body and cooperating with *the keeper, and a guard mounted on the body and turnable thereon to over 21nd conceal the lock.

2. The coinbin ation' with a, telly, and .a tire valve stem pitssihg through the'felly, of'a'lzeeper secured on the e11' ,a body resting on the keeper tnd enolosing the'yel i'ie stin, a key-controlled lockhibtintefl inthe from to engage one of thesooliets in the keeper, nieens 'for yieldab ly holding- 1' the bolt projected, and a 'l" 'ey"-foon't1folld lever mounted in the bo'dy'andengagedwith the bolt to i'etraot the sam In testimony whereof I hereunto 'atfiXm JO-SEPH BERGi 

